Wonderwall
by cantgetoversns
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto had changed fate when their eyes met. The tale of Naruto isn't the same as we have heard since then. Sasunarusasu/Massive canon divergence
1. Prologue - destiny begins

He is visibly shaking. Shaking hands. Legs. His veins are shaking, trembling to death. His eyes daring himself to move from the view of the dead body, daring him to look away, away, far away.

(Because he doesn't want to be here. Naruto knows that his eyes are shaking too)

The blood. The gore. The pain. And the pleaseletmegoIhatethisIhatethisIhatethis—

(Because he feels his eyes cracked, struggled to death. His pupils are screeching an exit. Not this place. Anywhere. But not this place—)

Umino Iruka is lifeless on the ground, lifelessness reached him as fast as it comes. Naruto feels this enveloping him as well, struggling to breathe— to live, to move.

He seems to be screaming and crying and dying all at the same time. He finally moves his daze from the body when he realizes the other person from behind.

Mizuki.

The screaming stops.

"You little brat! Look at what you have done!"

The crying stops.

"Now, give me that damn scroll..."

He stops dying because he needs to be the one to protect.

(He is going to kill him)

Naruto jumps to Mizuki and starts punching him like there is no tomorrow, like every single punch is the last moment of his lifetime. He snarls and scowls and the blood, the blood are spreading on his face, his hand (and probably his heart). He doesn't want to stop. He feels the need to kill this person — this murderer, to feel his screams, his pain, his blood, and he wonders numbly how Iruka-sensei must've felt.

(He is sure his sensei had regretted knowing him)

So he punches for minutes, hours and all the seconds fly with the cursing words of Mizuki. Naruto is exhausted, but he keeps beating anyway. He is also tired about all the tears that make his head spin, his eyes burn.

(But it doesn't matter, nobody cares. He feels stupid that he cares)

Damn.

(The ramen. He can smell it)

Damn.

(The smile. He feels it)

Stopstopstopstop

(The words. He hears it)

Please...stop

(The body is cold)

The moon is shining peacefully on a white haired man, spilling and choking out blood, eyes asking for hope. Then he stopped to move. Naruto turns away from the body, and move to Iruka. He remembers he accused him to be same as the other villagers.

(He realizes he prefers him being the same as the others)

Then he collapsed on his beloved one.

XXXXXxxxxxxxxx

Sakura watches in amazement as Uchiha Sasuke lifts his head and his dark eyes are fixing on the class broad, listening attentively to their sensei. Sasuke-kun is a such beauty that she will never be able to get over with.

She realizes his eyes darting around, purposefully or not looking at an empty seat. Sakura vaguely remembers it belongs to Naruto. It is strange that the blonde isn't here to shout some obnoxious comments and being his annoying self in the classroom.

He is missing. Usually, nobody is late for the team setting, not even Naruto.

Sakura couldn't care less, to be honest. She doesn't understand why Sasuke seems to search for Naruto. He is always complaining about everything and she hates him.

(Well, she hates him because everyone hates him, but otherwise she doesn't care about him)

She cups her chin, looking at Sasuke happily, feeling the wind slowly lifting her hair. It is a wonderful day.

When she hears their sensei calls her for the result of the exam, she replies a cheerful yes and runs in front with all the joy in the world.

Sakura wonders where are Mizuki sensei and Iruka sensei while the person in front of her congratulates her for her graduation and tells her their member of her new genin team.

XXXXXxxxxxx

Naruto thinks that maybe his life is a wonderful lie.

(Or nightmare. Whatever.)

Because when he wakes up he can find nothing. He just finds all this emptiness and air and pain and blood that is supposed to be on his hands. Muzuki's blood.

The third Hokage had told him that he would keep yesterday a secret. Due to some fucking reputation reasons. And he will let him fucking graduate because he returned the scroll safe to Konoha. But they all know Naruto fall in exhaustion before even returning to the village. It was the ANBU squad who found him and brought the scroll back.

Letting him graduate is a kind of exchange, they are hoping he would calm down. They have done this for a numberless of times, but last time they did, they give him an Iruka. And he indeed calmed down.

Not this time.

He starts screaming and yelling in his own apartment, not bothering to think about the neighborhood, they find him disgusting either way. He breaks every single piece he can find in this tiny and dirty place, he feels he knuckles shattering in every way, the bathroom glasses are too much. Everything is too much.

The blood pouring, struggling to get out, his fingers curled into fists and he kneels down on the broken glasses. He is still shaking and crying and —

Whispering. Words. Words he wants to say to the only person that cared for him, unfinished sentences he wanted to finish, wanted to complete.

(It's a lot like praying)

"Iruka-sensei, I will eat more healthy food, I will be a great ninja, I will take care of myself, I will learn, and listen to you. And I am so sorry, I am sorrysorrysorrysorrysorry, I am so so sorry, I am sorry Iruka-sensei..."

(Praying that he will forgive him)

His knees hurt. He stumbles down on his bed, pieces of glass still sticking to his hand and legs, didn't care that blood drained his sheets, and going back to another session of nightmares.

He wishes his life is a beautiful truth.

(Then he could protect the ones he couldn't protect before)

Tomorrow he will go to class, ask his team members, and get stronger.

XXXXxxxxxx

"Why I am with this bastard?!"

The loud sound echoes on the nearly empty classroom and makes Uchiha Sasuke wince at the disturbing voice that comes from Uzumaki Naruto.

The blond rudely points a finger towards him and gambles about 'why would a genius like me be in the same team as him' and so on. Sasuke is more than willing to shut his mouth with a fight, but he stays quiet nonetheless. He needs to think about his future plan once their teacher comes.

(He wonders why Naruto's knees and hands have bandages covering all over his skin and —)

Their teacher comes in.

(why his eyes are so blue, so ocean like, so sky like)

"You are late!"

"Maaaa ma, I get lost in the path of my life so —"

"Liar!"

(Why his eyes can covered all the forgiveness and all the happiness in one sky than another, why the blue, the constant blue, the crystal like glass mirrored souls and why something changed in the unconditional love—)

They soon moved to the rooftop, and he starts to ask their dreams. Sasuke of course scares everyone with his answer, Sakura's sure annoyed the hell out of him. But Naruto's is quite strange, incoherent to his character. His answer makes everyone turns to him.

"I want to become the strongest person in the world", he said, a grin on his face. And this makes no sense.

This boy beside him was always blabbing about how he wanted to become Hokage, what is he saying now?

(What changed in you?)

"So I can protect my precious people!", he adds, obviously determined about his newest dream. His sapphire orbs melt into soft cerulean sea.

(What happened?)

He hears Sakura ask, if not annoyed by the answer, "Didn't you want to become Hokage? Why suddenly you want to become the strongest?", even Kakashi is looking at him, seeking an answer from the still smiling boy.

Naruto looks at his bandaged hands, smiling smoothly like he is looking at someone else, smiling with such happiness that he seems to cry the next second.

(He wants to know what happened)

"Because I don't need acknowledgement anymore."

(He needs to know what happened)

"One is enough. One is enough."

Sasuke looks at him with uncertainty, not sure if this is the Naruto he knows all along. He will finds out what is going on.

(— changed when his eyes are filled with the same amount of hate as him)

"Make sure you all come tomorrow to the bridge at 5 am, Ah, and don't eat your breakfast, you will throw up."

"Whaaaaat?!", come the sounds of Sakura and Naruto, both looking scared of what will come tomorrow. Even Sasuke gets a chill on his back.

(Maybe they are not so different after all)

With this announcement, Kakashi disappears and Sasuke knows the time has come.

The time for getting strong enough to find Itachi.


	2. The dusk

Kakashi likes morning person.

He has always thought these types of person are like the morning itself, radiating and bring his energy to everyone near them. They are unexpectedly or supposedly to be loved by everyone, enjoying the butterscotch ray of gold, feeling the warm embrace of the sun.

(He never thinks he deserves morning person, thought)

Sakura is the sunrise.

"Naruto baka! Why wouldn't he just hide himself like everyone else?", Sakura scowls, and Kakashi chuckles a bit for this manner. He can heard and see her from afar, cherry like hair spreading on the grass, pouting about Naruto's strange behavior.

She is a beautiful mixture from the cold air on the morning and the boiling temperature from the new born sunshine on Earth once again. Kakashi studied her flies before their encounter. Smart, grades higher than average, but easily distracted by boys. She lives peacefully in a small family, both parents are citizens of Konoha.

He studies her moves, calculated but not experienced. Clearly more developed on paper theories than actual fighting.

Sasuke's case is more dramatic, ironically chaotic. Born in a prestigious family, his psychopath brother killed his whole clan at the age of five. Emotional instability, being found once cutting his face and skin in his house, the only survivor of the massacre that no one seemed to care so far.

He just dodges three kunai directed at him while reading his orange booklet. He shouts a glance at the furious raven and the raging blond who can't hit him. He closed his book when he saw the hidden message in their brief stares. Naruto and Sasuke are moving as a pair, attacking him all of a sudden. He didn't expect this.

(He doesn't expect teamwork from them. Especially from these two)

Sasuke is the night. The only light in the charcoal black paint and the cloudless evening. The moon. His cold manner and intelligent behavior are artistically twisted with jealousy and hatred, and sometimes love.

(They are similar)

As they smoothly dance together with the wind trying to get the bells, Kakashi discovers his eyes. He stops for a second and wonder if these eyes belongs to an Uchiha.

(Of course they are, a friend who died a long time ago had made the same face)

The pebble pupils look about to smile. They seem so happy, so grateful, so —

(But the broken helplessness still remained on his heart)

—Alive.

"Hey! I nearly touch the bell! Hey, listen! Why is me who get tied on this goddamn tree?"

Naruto is the dusk.

He is full of rage. He is full of hate. And he is full of love. He is a unmixed container, the two half of the globe. The morning and the night do not mix, Kakashi thought. Naruto is an exceptional specimen.

(This does explain—)

Naruto's case is crippling and extremely frustrating. Orphan since birth, obnoxious, grades under average, trouble maker, suicidal behavior observed by ANBU. Committed a murder just two days ago.

(—Why Sasuke has eyes full of _hope_ when he looked at him)

"Dobe"

Kakashi conceals his chakra presence while observing the scene. His eyes wide in shock. He isn't excepting all of these would happened. And Sasuke is clearly not the one he had expected to do this. He keeps getting surprise today,

He hands his lunchbox at him.

(— and also why Naruto would have his eyes full of _life_ when he looked at Sasuke)

Both of their teammates look at him with surprise, and Sasuke just gives them an annoyed look. He turns to Naruto.

"Eat this or you will slow us down, usuratonkachi"

"...But—", Naruto doesn't look like his usual self, he appears lost, like he couldn't believe someone would say this. He sees something glittered in his understanding blue orbs, something he should already gained a lifetime ago.

"You can take my lunch too!", Sakura then offers, an hesitant smile blossoms on her face. Feelings might blossom too, Kakashi smiles.

Naruto opens his mouth to protest, but close it halfway. He down his face, buttercup hair covering his eyes, but even far away, Kakashi can still see the painful grin he has on his whiskered face.

(Something like faith)

They stop the feeding when Kakashi suddenly appears. With his eyelids curved, he makes the great announcement.

"You passed!"

(Maybe the dusk and the night will follow each other until the end)

XXXXXxxxx

Sasuke hates this place.

He can still smells the sticky and bloody corpses all lied on the ground and all the lifeless faces that he once called them aunt or uncles. Or cousins.

(Mom and dad)

He steps into his own room, the only clean one. Blood still daintily covered the corners of the Uchiha compound, stubbornly drained every space, every memories, every—

He walks back to his home after Kakashi congratulated their win. He couldn't help but be proud that he passed. Not that he enjoys the way they passed, thought.

—every day he gets the nightmares again and again and again.

(Until he cries and yells enough to stop dreaming about his parents and the voice who seemed to blame him, their eyes judging him every single night)

He seats on his bed, reading the papers he did reread countless of times. He can even states these words out loud. These yellowed documents are important. His hands are always shaking with anger when he carefully finds out the truth with the same amount of hate every time. Every day.

(So he can't sleep)

These are found in the deepest of the Uchiha compound, a cave where he finds out by accident, and he discovers at nine years old the dirtiest secret from Konoha. The Uchiha massacre. His fucking crazy brother listened his leader and fucking killed his whole relatives. And he only kept Sasuke alive to play with him.

He is going to fucking beat him and asking why he chooses Konoha instead of them.

(He wonders how much pain he must endured)

And then he will return to Konoha and beat the elders up too.

(He wonders if Itachi knows the consequences of his actions)

Asking why they would do this. Why to them— why the truth has been hid away from him.

(He wonders if he is alright)

Sasuke understands how wrong this is. He had been thinking a lot when he doesn't sleep. Or every moment he is awake and conscious. He acknowledges the rules in this ninja world, he had learned that from the academy. The rules. Hid until the enemy couldn't find you. And you should never, never show feelings towards your enemies or teammates. Do not refuse an corrupted mission nor a immoral corporation. Ninjas are tools, not humans. They serve for their village, which is why Itachi is working in the shadow. He becomes a real ninja.

He lies on the bed, blinks once, twice, and close his eyes. Force to concentrate himself and calm the rage down.

(He also knows that he wants to change this reality)

He swears to his mom and dad, their name, their souls, that he will change this. He will bring justice to their family, will change the ninja rules. He will do anything to make this work. This needs for work.

He just doesn't know how.

So he gets up, dressed himself and throws himself back at the nighty black, and goes to the training grounds.

(He will need to get strong, no matter what solution he will come to mind)

XXXXXXxxx

Naruto is panting. Sweating and cursing about why he couldn't hit the target with his kunai. He tosses his arm to the side, and seats down to the cold grass. He guessed it's already past midnight.

The trees seem higher than yesterday. Maybe it's because he finally takes time to breathe and relax. He bring his knees together, watching the stars, wishing his teacher is safe now, wishing and praying we would be loved, because he deserves it.

(Wishing he forgives him)

"Naruto?", he turns in exasperation to the owner of the voice, he knows exactly who it is.

"What are you doing here te—", he stops at the midair to remember to breathe. And continue.

(For one second, he thinks he did see the light)

"Same for you, dobe"

(Maybe it's because he has the moon behind him)

"Yosh! You are here to train too! I am not going to lose to you, Sasuke!"

"Shut up"

He seats down beside him, their backs touching. He is panting too.

"Ne, ne, you just trained?", he asks, not sure what to not. He doesn't know how to act when they aren't fighting, physically or verbally. He realizes they haven't had a proper conversation yet.

"Hn", he replies, between two short breaths. "I even heard you out there, stop screaming, usuratonkachi"

"What did you just call me, bastard?!"

(He ignores his tired form, his nearly closing eyes, and the slight rush of blood on his own face when the raven's hair accidentally brushes his cheeks. He hates the uncontrollable feeling of wanting to talk, to speak up his true mind to this nearly stranger guy—)

"U-S-U-R-A-T-O-N-K-A-C-H-I, don't make me repeat another time"

(—this may be the only one who he can truly expressed what he feels)

"Repeat again teme!"

Then they get into a fight that none of them excepted. No jutsu or techniques. Just fists. Skin crashing and this strange collision on each other make him feel so happy. He can feel with the dancing battle that Sasuke isn't the one to complain too.

(It's like a promise with no words)

When they are all too exhausted, they seat down on their former positions, backs still dumped into the other. The breaths are more heavier, but comfortable this time.

(That they will forever be fighting, not leaving the other alone)

"So, tomorrow our team meets on the bridge?"

"Hn"

"I won't lost! And listen, I will surpass you and become the strongest of all!"

A pause. Sasuke lifts his head, causing their hair entwined together. The mix of blond and pitch black hair is hiding in the darkness. Like a secret only them would know. Naruto shifts at the motion.

"What? You are afraid that you will lose?"

"...Why?"

"What?", Naruto is getting impatient, he hates people who don't speak properly.

"Your dream. Why?", as subtle as it is, Naruto understands. The muffle voice and their blushing ears make him chuckle a bit.

"Wh—what? I am asking you a question!", he can't see his face, or else he would make a good laugh at him. 'The great Uchiha Sasuke blushes when he asks questions!', he would say tomorrow to Sakura.

He stops his laugh and crocked his head to the side, looking at the skies. "It changed", he tries to make his voice not suffocating to appears abnormal, "It happens, y'a know! Things change"

A long silence stretches ago with the stars, when Sasuke softly murmurs, "yes... things changed, I know this"

He wants to ask more when Sasuke suddenly gets up. Naruto fells down on the ground, a cracking sound. Maybe his ribs.

(He feels for the first time—)

"Yitai! What are you doing all of a sudden teme!", he is rubbing his head with an angry expression, "You wanna fight again?"

"You should never leave a back to your enemy, Naruto", he takes a few steps, attempting to leave.

(That he could ask him questions, actually knowing him. He felt he could for once talk to him like he really understands, because 'hey you talk to me and I talked to you' and starting a real conversation)

"Ah", he stops, turning his head slightly so Naruto could see his fucking-self-confident-and-useless-smirk again.

(He feels for the first time he would started a bond)

"Don't be late tomorrow"

(He feels it— he _feels_ it on his shaking smile—)

"Yeah, you too, bastard"

(That the bond had been formed a long time ago, before both of them knew about it)


	3. Promise

Sakura is tired.

After countless D rank missions, the excitement slowly deceased to the boring feeling surrounding her and her teammates. At least she would have the chance to admire Sasuke during missions. Naruto always annoyed her in every single mission, but his out spoken mind really did help to release the tension of the team.

Their team is silent.

Sakura sometimes watch these boys from afar, watching them bickering about something totally pointless, that she would be bored to even listen back then. She would usually sat down and cried to remind them the mission still ongoing. As time flies, and after the observing nature of her, she finds the secret of their relationship.

Talking without expectations.

They don't look like they are searching to win, they are talking, arguing, yelling at each other, but they don't seem to be bothered by that. They are finding a way to tapping others nerves, to simply fists or words. Sakura will always see the eyes who looked secretly at each other after turning away, trying to pretend to be furious.

She guesses that is what friends begin with.

(This team seems to be talking)

Speaking.

"Aaaaaa! Sakura-chan~ are you sure you don't want to go out with me? Why would you like this bastard instead of me? Ne, ne, Sakura-chan?", Naruto yells and points at Sasuke, who don't even shout a glance at both of them, walking on the walking path to another D rank mission.

"Naruto...Shut up"

(But she can feel the lifting tension, the thinking, the yelling, the dying screams that need to be heard, the strange atmosphere when we talk about the Hokage nor the Kyubbi attack ten years ago. Whenever this was bought up, someone would change the subject and everything returns to its normal state: Kakashi reading his pervert book, Sasuke looking the surroundings, and Naruto... being Naruto)

"Ne, ne, Kakashi-sensei! What mission do we have this time? Rescue a princess?", Naruto then attacks Kakashi, eyes sparkling with excitement.

(Something was wrong)

"Dobe, you haven't you heard the mission?", surprisingly it's Sasuke who answered. "We will go to Jiko-san's plantation and pick medic plants for the medic team", he sound bored.

(Something is always wrong in the team seven)

"Aaaagh! Why can't we do some more interesting missions? Like destroy an important organization? I am strong enough!"

Sakura doesn't say anything but she agrees on his point. She doesn't like dangerous things, but those operations are just plain boring that she comes to desire more exciting missions.

"You are not strong enough, Naruto", comes Sasuke's strangely raw voice, he seems even more irritated than normal. Sakura wonders why he speaks so much today. "You aren't strong enough to see through the truth or lie, dobe. You can't even kill"

Then Naruto shut up, a painful expression comes once and he crooks his face away, shallowing a scowl. Sasuke appears to be confused, but he doesn't speak up. The team sets in an uncomfortable silence again.

(And it scared her. He shouldn't be like this)

The way to get to the plantation takes was embarrassing and strange, Sakura doesn't look at Sasuke, instead watching Naruto, who seems to be in a constant battle against himself.

"Worried?", came Kakashi's voice who provoked Sakura a little jump.

"No!", muttered Sakura to make sure the boys can't heard them."I— I am just—"

"Yes, yes, you are not worried", Sakura can't see but she is pretty sure he smile behind this creepy mask of him. "So, what are you going to do?"

"...Honestly, what is happening?"

"I don't know what you are talking about, Sakura", said innocently Kakashi and she signs, uncharacteristic from her. Sakura is already tired of all this.

"I am not stupid, Kakashi-sensei. Naruto looks weird and Sasuke-kun...Well he always seems to hid something from—", she pauses. "Aaaa! Screw it!", her patience is fading as she sees Kakashi's dismissal expression, clearly showing that he doesn't want to talk about this.

"Just tell me what can I do about this", she let him wins, looking more tired than ever. "This team is getting so uncomfortable for all of us"

Kakashi just letting a genuine laugh while he turns and looks at their backs. Naruto has his fists curled into a ball and some blood are glittering with the shining sun. Sakura shakes with horror at the scene. Sasuke chooses to look at the surroundings with an nonchalant look, but he shifts closer to Naruto when he hears an suspicious sound. Sakura chuckles.

(True dorks)

"Just get stronger, Sakura, don't mind them", he suddenly announces and Sakura turns in shock. "You are a ninja. This is your mission", she wants to protest but stop at the sign of his eyes.

(They seem to see someone through her, someone precious to him, someone he didn't protect in the past. Someone dear)

"They have their own missions too"

(Someone who he had wish to say this before it was too late)

Kakashi stops, causing the rest of the team to take a break from the two hours of walk. They are in front of the plantation house. Jiko-san comes in person to greet them. As he invites them to get in, Kakashi whispers to her one more time:

"Get stronger, Sakura. That's all you can do for now"

She doesn't reply and walk in with the strange looking boys. She swears this is going to be a long day. She smiles and yells:

"Wait for me, Sasuke-kun!"

XXXXXXxxxxx

After the welcome, they begin the picking process. Everyone have given a section to work on. Sakura and Naruto are in the same bloc, while Sasuke stays with Kakashi, watching them. Or his book. Whatever. Sasuke needs to think.

(He wonders why Naruto didn't reply earlier with the normally high pitch voice, and why why why _why for the love of god_ would he felt his heart aching when Naruto has this face. This agonizing expression)

His gaze moves to Naruto subconsciously, and while grabbing the flowers and plants with a silent gesture, he darts around and frowns.

Slaves.

Sasuke never thinks he could one day meet slaves. He has only know this is books and legends. And they aren't the same as mentioned in books.

They look happy, enjoying their daily work. He even though before that they are only ordinary employees until he saw the chains discretely around their wrists and legs and their arc-like backs due to their countless work hours.

They are actually well dressed, Sasuke notices. They don't like to suffer from any malnutrition nor physical pain, as it is always mention in books. They seem to live a good life.

(So why would he felt so uncomfortable?)

A voice takes his attention away from the slaves.

"Hey hey! Sakura-chan! This is for you!", yells happily Naruto, who look about to forget about his past silence. "This flower is as beautiful as you! I mean, you are the prettiest of course!"

Sasuke breaks the stem of the plant he is currently picking.

What.

"Naruto-baka! Those medical flowers are for missions!", she replies back with an annoyed tone.

Sasuke feels his breath stops.

The.

"It's alright Sakura-chan!", he said with a sappy grin. "It's just one... and I think it suits you!", he then gives her a genuine smile, making her blush a little.

Fuck.

"...Thank you", whispers finally Sakura, giving him a smile back. Sasuke thinks this is the first time he did seen her smile like that to Naruto.

Naruto then takes his basket and give a round, handing flowers to every single workers around here. He also frowns when he notices the chains on their waving hands, saying that they can't accept this.

(Why the fuck he suddenly becomes the flower fairy and seeming sweet to everyone)

The blonde walks to him.

(Why the fuck his heart is running through his ribs, and why in the world he can almost feel his beating pounding out of his chest)

One step.

(He is not a fucking girl, goddamnit)

Two.

He is still picking his plants, looking like nothing is happening. Nothing is actually happening, he tells himself.

Three.

(He is not—)

"Kakashi-sensei! This is for you!", he doesn't seem to see Sasuke, instead grinning teasingly at their sensei. "I know you love flowers!"

He can hear Kakashi signs. "Naruto, get back to work okay? You are still on mission, remember. A ninja should never—"

"Aaaaghhh! Cut this crap! Here!", Naruto tosses the flower in the jounin's arms and run away. "I will work! Just stop saying your boring rules!", he makes a face and sets to his original spot, looking once again concentrate to work.

(Uzumaki Naruto is a mystery)

Kakashi chuckles, "Sometimes he is kinda cute, right?", he says while contemplating his pink-ish petals.

(A something he doesn't process)

Sasuke scowls. The atmosphere lightens and seems to display. The smiles on their faces can not be denied. Uzumaki Naruto is a secret, and he couldn't help to gaze at him in the next hours of silent work.

(Except him)

The gesture of picking becomes more forceful than it needs to be.

(Except him)

XXXXXXxxxxx

He is screaming again.

Run.

He is yelling again.

Run.

Runrunrunrunrun.

He wants to run until his lungs contracts, until his heart breaks, until his heartbeat stops, until until until everything everyone else couldn't find him— until he couldn't find them, until they couldn't find him.

(Until he could stop watching again and again and again his sensei's corpse, until his guilt and the IkilledhimIkilledhimIamsosososorryPleaseforgiveme would be gone—)

He wakes up with a sudden jerking, breathing heavily. He feels his eyes are slightly bleeding with overly wide eyes, and he soon realizes that everyone is watching him, since the guest house is big enough for the four of them they have pretty much all heard him.

They have an exhausting day, and he wake up everyone.

This is bad.

(It keeps hunting him every single second)

"Umm... It was just a nightmare, I-I will go and take a walk", he is not a good liar, and he will have to go before anything blew up.

(Every time he breathes—)

He stands up, still a little bit daze by the sudden woke. He stumbles and walks out of the room. He can feel everyone watching him, he just hopes nobody follows him.

(He remembers is because of him that he kept breathing)

He walks through the wooden pathways, looking at the stars slowly showing his light, glittering with a smooth shining light. He hears foot steps coming from behind.

Damn.

It was Sakura and Sasuke. They both look a bit sleepy, but a worried trait in their faces show that they are aware of what happened. Naruto bites in lower lips.

Damn he hates this.

"Is everything alright?", a voice comes from the deep pathways before their teammates could say anything. "I thought a was the only one who would make up this early just to watch the moon", a graceful smile braces his lips, the plantation owner appears through the shadows, leaving them speechless for a second.

"Ye—yeah", mutters Naruto. "I just want to take a walk, but they are following me for no reason", he says, trying to get them go sleep.

"You were yelling and crying, Naruto", whispers Sakura. "Of course everything is fine".

"I—"

"Maa ma, how about we seat down a bit to get over the nightmare?", smiles the gentle owner."Nightmares happen a lot and it's not pleasant, right?"

(He wants to answer that yes, yes it is, really. This is)

Naruto doesn't say anything, instead choosing to seat in the wooden floor, their teammates doing the same.

After a moment, it is surprisingly Sasuke who breaks the settle silence between them.

"Ne", he begins. "Why yours slaves look this happy?"

Jiko-san seems stunned by the question. "What do you mean?"

"The slaves, as I know, they are rarely happy in books", he answers, looking for the first time like an innocent child.

He giggles, "They aren't paid, but I give them a home, that's all it matters when it comes to orphans. I treated them well with foods and—"

Sasuke cuts him with a hint of anger. "They need justice. It's a fact that you don't paid them"

Jiko-san smiles and shakes his head. "Freedom and justice aren't the priorities in this world. Behind peace there is war, and behind love there is pain. Sacrifices are based on lies. You have to accept your faith and be grateful of what you have. You will understand that one day", his eyes shined with something like pity. And this pissed Naruto off.

"What do you mean?", says Naruto, already shaking with frustration. Sakura looks at him with somewhat worry to him to control.

"This world is full of tragedies, children", he signs. "Ninja world is full of hate and it seems that we can't just accept what we have already, that's why wars start"

"I am a kunoshi, Jiko-san", interferes Sakura before anyone. "I am not a tool and I shall not accept whatever injustice in this world"

He observes them for a minute before asking: "What is peace for you?". Naruto shakes a bit from the question itself.

"What is justice to you?"

Sasuke's jaw clenches.

"And what do you know about the ninja world aside from the book?"

Sakura lowers his head.

Jiko-san turns to look at the white moon. "You will grow up one day, and you will find out that sometimes you just need to corporate with the reality. Accepting faith and give up might be the best thing to do one day. This is growing up"

The silence stretches out and make everything stops. The time. The moon. His eyes are not bleeding anymore.

"No"

They all blurt out in the same moment and look at each other with surprise. And excitement.

(It's like they have found something in common)

"It seems I will never growing up then", Sakura smiles at his childlike phrase, even Sasuke seems to smile a bit.

"I promise", he says to the stars, eyes glittered with the stars themselves, and he feels for the first time in two months that he is at peace. "I promise I won't give up. And I will never let accept my faith nor injustice"

(He can feels his heart racing with excitement)

"It's a promise of a lifetime"

(Because he can feels his teammates saying the same thing to their heart)

XXXXXxxxxx

"Thank you Jiko-san", says Kakashi as they are going to leave. The morning everyone returns to sleep, causing them to be a little sleepy. But Kakashi has noticed the sudden change in the team.

(It's oddly beautiful)

"Thanks them to me, Kakashi-san", says the plantation owner. "I had a wonderful discussion yesterday. They have great dreams, these children. Make me remember my younger self", he laughs.

"I just hope they won't become another me at the end", whispers Jiko, before waving his hand and saying goodbye.

(It's like they have finally found—)

"Hey! Why you are walking beside Sakura-chan? Move your bastard!"

"Hn"

"What the hell is this 'hn' teme!"

"It means that you should shut up"

(The sparkles and begin to build them into stars)

"Naruto! You need to shut up! Sasuke-kun needs silence!", Kakashi looks at Sakura wide eyed, surprise that she did interfered to their usual morning conversation.

(And create a new moon)

"You too Sakura-chan...", he looks at her with a sad expression, but his eyes is telling that he is more than happy about this. Probably because he sees the teasing manner in Sakura's face. Kakashi feels left behind for a lot of things,

"Ah!", he looks about to remember something, making their teammates turn to him. "Umm...", Naruto suddenly becomes hesitant. "Um...Well, Sasuke...?"

"What?", says Sasuke with an annoyed tone.

"Aaaa...umm...", Naruto never leaves his eyes to a blank stop in the sky.

"Say. It"

Then Sakura laughs, along with Kakashi.

"I-I just found that yesterday but I forget it", whispers Naruro still looking at the sky.

"Naruto, daisies weren't in the plantation, where did you find it?", asks Sakura between two laughs.

"I searched a long time—! I-I mean, I just found it on the ground!", mutters Naruto, still staring at the blank spot like some golden eggs. "An—anyway! Just take it your bastard!", he tosses the flower in Sasuke's hands, and run away.

"We need to hurry up!", he yells at them. "And stop laughing you two!"

(And create a new world)

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn?"

"Yours ears are red"

As he chuckles, he realizes the orange freesia tossing in Sasuke's pocket.

He laughs more.

(He wishes the orange freesia would be in the hands of his real owner, if Sasuke has the courage to give it)


End file.
